CLOSE: Australia 2nd Inns 279/7 lead England by 314 runs

1800: Over 71.2 New ICC regulations state that play must end at 1800 so stumps are drawn following the Warne dismissal.

1800: WICKET!
SR Warne c Giles b Harmison 2 Giles enjoys a reversal of fortunes. He was out on the corresponding ball last night but pouches the simplest of catches off the second ball of the over after Warne totally fails to deal with a fast, rising ball.

1758: Over 70 Flintoff continues around the wicket to Katich but does not cause remotely the same success he did against Gilchrist. The 30-year-old put together a wonderfully understated innings yesterday and has settled almost immediately tonight.

1753: Over 69 Harmison begins with a wonderful straight delivery which hits Warne on the knee roll prompting a huge shout. Koertzen rejects on the grounds of height but it is a close call with bounce deteriorating so rapidly. The Australians rotate the strike quickly, doubtless neither is keen to face the man who claimed both of their wickets yesterday.

1749: Over 68 The reaction from Flintoff is the same as yesterday - he clearly feels the pressure as perhaps the first man to have the consistent beating of the Australia wicketkeeper. But he has produced again to maintain the narrowest of hopes for England as Shane Warne arrives to a smattering of boos from the crowd.

1748: WICKET!
AC Gilchrist b Flintoff 10 Flintoff's over starts with Gilchrist guiding the ball square of the wicket for four on the offside. The shot is airborne but never near a fielder and England's agonised reaction is perhaps an indication that they have put too much stock in capturing Gilchrist's wicket. Yet Flintoff immediately strikes back, angling a good-pitched ball back into the left-hander and onto the stumps via an inside edge.

1744: Over 67 Harmison continues his attempts on Gilchrist's cool temperament with little success. The left-hander is curbing his instincts as best he can to ensure his presence at 1030BST.

1740: Over 66 Flintoff turns his energetic brain to Katich with the Australian lead now 300. The newcomer has a look at a couple of deliveries before picking up a sweet cover drive for four. Katich seems a lot more comfortable against Flintoff around the wicket than his partner.

1735: Over 65 Harmison is once again re-energised by the sight of new batsmen, roaring in and finding pace and bounce not seen in these parts for some hours. But even Gilchrist's enthusiasm is tempered by the prospect of the close at 1800BST and the tourists keep it sober.

1730: Over 64 Flintoff eases himself back into the action with his usual mixture of pitch, bounce and swing but Gilchrist remains determinedly unimpressed.

1726: Flintoff, who has enjoyed success bowling short of a length around the wicket to Gilchrist, is brought back on at the Nursery End.

1725: Over 63 Gilchrist's first ball has the crowd on the edge of their seat but he fends a lifter of square of the wicket to get off the mark straight away and offer Katich his first ball. The number six gets very lucky with a quick one which deflects off his bat square of the wicket for an undeserved boundary. He is happy to survive the remaining balls leaving Gilchrist on strike.

1718: WICKET!
DR Martyn lbw b Harmison 65 England take a wicket for the second ball in succession. Harmison digs a rapid one in but it doesn't bounce as fully after 62 overs. It pitches outside off and jags across wickedly, striking Martyn on the kneeroll on target for middle and leg.

1716: Over 62 Finally England get the breakthrough though it is surely too little too late. Hoggard has not always looked a bowler capable of removing world-class batsmen this week but that famous willingness to keep going all day has paid dividends over poor form. Simon Katich is next man in but is off strike as Clarke was out last ball of the over.

1714: WICKET!
MJ Clarke b Hoggard 91 Hoggard begins the over by drawing Clarke into a slog outside off stump but the resultant edge flies high over vacant slip position and down to third man. England persevere with tempters outside off and finally get a bite as Clarke charges down the crease to try and hit out only to chop an inside edge onto his stumps. He is visibly upset to have allowed frustration to deny him a century.

1709: Over 61 Harmison tempts a wide slice from Clarke, who plays and misses and is plainly furious with himself for putting a century at Lord's on Ashes debut in jeopardy. He takes a single shortly after as if in a pledge to take things slow and steady but Martyn fares little better, swishing in vain at one ball before taking another on the shoulder. Harmison's ability to get such bounce at this stage is extraordinary, but Martyn's wide, handsome smile suggests that he is winning little in the way of psychological points.

1705: Over 60 Clarke edges closer to his century with a quick single before Martyn makes a rare error in judgement, slashing at a wide one from Hoggard but missing by some distance. Vaughan has put a second slip back in, suggesting that England's bowlers are going to bowl and increasingly off-side line.

1700: Over 59 Harmison's figures are by far the best of the England bowlers but he had not yet faced this serenely confident duo once settled. He soon discovered that this is a different game to yesterday, seeing one Martyn drive despatched to the boundary in superb style. While these two have team-mates with plenty to recommend them, no member of the Australian XI bats with the same elegant authority of these two men.

1658: Harmison returns at the Pavilion End.

1653: Over 58 Clarke is absolutely bristling now. Hoggard bowls him a good, straight delivery and he simply clubs it back down the ground for four to move onto 87 off 91 balls. England field with obvious determination to limit any further runs from the over despite Clarke's excellent co-ordination and powerful stroke play.

1649: Over 57 Flintoff looks to trouble Clarke, so strong coming forward, on the back foot but the Australian guides the first ball of the over through cover for four. He allows Martyn the strike with a single and the elder batsman helps himself to successive boundaries, one on each side to bring up 100 runs in a session which is just 18 overs old. The Aussies are really looking effortless now.

1643: Over 56 Hoggard drops one a touch short on his return and Clarke picks it up immediately, pulling the ball through midwicket for four. Australia continue on cruise control, though a wild swipe at a wide one sends the ball down to third man but SP Jones cannot pick up the flight early enough to attempt a tough catch.

1647: Hoggard returns at the Nursery End. Bell's first over wasn't disastrous from either the bowler or captain's point of view but it was, perhaps, an experiment Vaughan is right to abandon.

1643: Over 55 Flintoff is moved for a single by Martyn but hurries Clarke into a bottom edge with the pull shot. They scamper a run from this false shot too and Martyn is tempted into a play-and-miss outside off on his return to the strike. One comfortable leave and block later and the procession continues.

1639: Over 54 Four good balls from Bell are rather overshadowed by two wide ones, both of which Clarke crashes through the covers for four.

1635: Ian Bell is handed the chance to make his bowling debut at Test level. The Warwickshire batsman's varied medium pace has proved useful in domestic one-dayers but has been called upon purely in the name of variety as Vaughan seeks some inspiration.

1634: Over 53 Flintoff continues to mix it up, as befits a man of his eager cricketing brain, but enjoys little joy against these two established batsmen.

1628: Over 52 Clarke is immediately on the offensive against Giles, working Martyn back on strike and he brings up his 50 by working the ball square of the wicket on the leg side for a single. Clarke again shows his dainty footwork to set up an off-side drive and Hoggard makes a woeful fumble to allow through a four as the hosts really begin to lose their composure. Maybe they will get it back in the drinks break.

1622: Over 51 Martyn tries a quick single to Pietersen and would be out with a direct hit. Pietersen's throw not only misses the stumps but also Vaughan backing up meaning that the Australian batsman is awarded five. This leaves him one short of a half century as Clarke ducks a Flintoff bouncer. Clarke then takes a single and England rearrange the field to try and pressure Martyn, and they do at least prevent the half century coming up this over with a couple of 'dot' balls.

1619: Over 50 Clarke continues his assault on Giles, hammering one through the leg side to bring up his 50 and another through cover immediately after. Giles moves back over the wicket and gets one to beat the bat.

1614: Over 49 Flintoff limits Martyn's scoring options but a wicket has rarely looked so far away for Vaughan's England since BC Lara moved effortlessly to 400 some 14 months ago.

1609: Over 48 Clarke begins the over by charging and driving a bounce-ball to Vaughan at short cover. Only temporarily stopped, he flicks the ball off his legs for a single and then sees his partner do the same as the slow-left-armer struggles for line and length. Giles is bowling around the wicket yet Vaughan continues with a 7-2 field and Australia continue to milk the easy runs.

1605: Over 47 Flintoff begins solidly enough but Clarke then flicks a ball beyond the despairing right hand of Harmison at mid on for four before taking a single off the last. No let-up in the run rate, therefore.

1600: Flintoff returns in place of SP Jones.

1559: Over 46 Clarke continues his plans to get about Giles, charging the first ball and driving down the ground. Giles switches to around the wicket but still concedes four further runs from the over with Martyn happy to hit the spinner across the line. Australia now lead by 213 runs with two hours still to bat.

1554: Over 45 Jones continues his attempts to try and expose Clarke's alleged weakness to the off-cutter but Martyn is on strike and he is looking comfortable against some wayward bowling. There are 13 runs from the over including boundaries down to backward point and backward square leg and this session has begun in very one-sided fashion. Arguably England's two weakest bowlers have been deployed so far and the scoreboard has been affected accordingly.

1549: Over 44 Clarke begins the next over with a charge at Giles but the bowler sees it coming and bowls a leg-side line in search of a stumping. He nevertheless is struggling for any shape or rhythm to his bowling as Clarke's aggression grows. No big boundaries this time but the scoreboard keeps ticking, bringing the left-armer's value into question in these seamer-friendly conditions.

1546: Over 43 Jones angles an awkward in-swinger first up but Clarke is seeing it big now and hits the ball back down the ground to take Australia beyond 150 and this partnership over 50. Pietersen stops a cover drive with brilliant athleticism as Clarke really looks to cut loose but fielding genius is not a sustainable solution. The field is spread to the four corners of this famous ground and the tourists are in charge.

1542: Over 42 Clarke moves his feet superbly to work Giles through the leg side. Pietersen gives chase and makes a brilliant sliding stop so the Australian total increases by three rather than four. Martyn takes a single to get the youngster, who has a reputation as a great player of spin, back on strike and Clarke justifies the confidence with a chipped drive over mid on for four. He takes another single at the end of the over and has now overtaken Martyn in the scorebook.

1538: Over 41 With no new ball due until tomorrow, Jones is maybe England's best seam hope as he develops the ability to move the older ball in both directions. He tempts Martyn into one lazy swing outside off without finding the bat and the variable bounce is once again noticeable.

1534: Jones continues at the Pavilion End.

1533: Over 40 Giles starts moderately, looking to maintain the disciplined line which will hopefully tempt wickets as the shadows lengthen.

1529: The players are back out with Giles set to continue.

1512: End of session
Australia 2nd Innings 140/3 lead England by 175 runs. Australia have remained in control throughout the day without ever extending this to total domination thanks to England's dogged resistance.

Their lead is increasingly imposing given the chance of chasing against McGrath and Warne on a deteriorating Lord's pitch but the intermittent clatter of wickets has kept the hosts competitive and in with a minor shout.

England's goal will be to take at least three wickets in the final session, with Martyn the priority scalp, but even given the twists and turns we have already seen in five session, this match is surely Australia's to lose now.

1512: Over 39 Pietersen has had some debut with the match's only 50 to date as well as the brilliant run out of Langer. But he puts down a third catch of the match on the brink of tea, spilling a firm, lowish but perfectly reasonable chance at short cover from Clarke's back-foot drive. Jones impresses throughout the over and is really beginning to move this older ball in both directions.

1508: Jones replaces Harmison at the Pavilion End.

1507: Over 38 Giles rattles through another six balls, conceding a four-ball through cover to Martyn. Test cricket is inherently a game requiring great concentration and patience but England's must be wearing now as this match slips away. Less than 24 hours ago they were in total control, too.

1505: Over 37 And still Harmison bounds in, employing those massive limbs as best he can but failing to really unsettle Martyn who has always looked comfortable in English conditions and is setting about extending this golden period in his career.

1502: Over 36 Giles starts reasonably well, seeking the rough outside Clarke's leg stump and extracting some turn. There is a strange double-edged sword to Giles' potential success, however - anything he can do, Warne can do better and the level of movement at this early stage bodes well for the Australian leg-spinner.

1456: Ashley Giles, who did not bowl a ball in the first innings, comes on at the Nursery End.

1455: Over 35 Vaughan continues to ask plenty of Harmison, who continues at the Pavilion End. The big Geordie's pace takes one or two past the edge but his aching limbs have diminishing returns with the older ball.

1449: Over 34 Clarke picks up the first ball of the over and drives it back through the covers for four. He then exhibits the lightening running which has become his trademark, stealing three runs in two balls on the leg side. Martyn flicks one off the legs to keep the scoreboard ticking over and Clarke revels in his rapid return to the strike, whipping a boundary through mid-wicket. A strong over for Australia, who now lead by over 150.

1447: Over 33 Harmison continues at the Pavilion End but is struggling to generate yesterday's hostility with an older ball. He beats Martyn's bat with the last of the over to re-assert his claims but the batsmen will have one eye on the tea break.

1441: Over 32 Clarke begins to settle. The 24-year-old is known as the chosen one of Australian cricket but suffered a sorry time in New Zealand last time out. He arrives under pressure for his place from Brad Hodge but is batting with increasing composure now, leaving and getting bat on ball with confidence.

1438: Over 31 Clarke initially looks uncomfortable but work a single in mid-over. Martyn faces Harmison down before fending the final ball off down to long leg and racing for two, which he reaches in relative comfort.

1434: Over 30 Hoggard continues to bowl with greater discipline than yesterday but though a stylish stroke maker Martyn relishes a fight and shows little sign of giving his wicket away. Hoggard at least pins the 33-year-old to force Clarke to face Harmison.

1431: Over 29 One of the outstanding characteristics of Vaughan's England is the sense of the collective. Despite his limited role in proceedings Harmison is patently buoyed by the fall of Ponting and bowls with renewed enthusiasm. He exceeds 90mph on a couple of occasions, mixing the line and length though failing to shift Martyn who is well set. It would be interested to see the new man Clarke put under the same pressure.

1427: Over 28 Hoggard strikes back, a worthy reward for a decent spell since his recall at the Nursery End. Michael Clarke gets off the mark straight away but he has been in poor form recently and England will be keen to get at both of these batsmen straight away now.

1422: WICKET!
RT Ponting c sub b Hoggard 42 Young Hildreth makes a name for himself by snaffling the world's best number three. Hoggard began the over well with a rapid off-cutter which pitched outside off and hit Ponting, who wasn't offering a stroke, on the leg. Aleem Dar rejects the loud appeals, and rightly so but it's a rare boost for the hosts. They take advantage immediately, Hoggard tempting an off-side flash to point and Hildreth holds a relatively simple chance.

1419: Over 27 Harmison begins with typical hostility, lifting a bouncer over Martyn's head. But the right-hander soon spots a gap down at third man and picks up four down there. An error from Vaughan, there, who has little need for a short leg to off-side-friendly Martyn but should always have a third man. Bell is sent to fill the gap. The final ball of the over is swatted back by Martyn and Harmison takes a quite needless shy at the stumps. The batsman hits the throw away square of the wicket to Harmison's consternation but the umpire takes no action.

1416: Harmison is brought back into the action following the drinks break.

1412: Over 26 Hoggard continues to work away at the Nursery End but it is this sort of cricket which drives broadcasters to describe the colour of passing buses or the demeanour of nearby pigeons. England are working away reasonably well without really exerting any pressure, both because they're getting little help from the conditions and are incapable of the required consistency. For their part Ponting and Martyn look well set, and with little intention of pursuing the aggression which cost their team-mates Hayden and Langer their wickets.

1409: Over 25 Flintoff perseveres from the Pavilion End but Ponting is looking established now, working the ball around. He passes the milestone of 7000 Test runs to a smattering of applause, in the process moving past Don Bradman's total career runs in Tests. The Tasmanian is now seventh in the all-time list of Australia run-scorers.

1406: James Hildreth of Somerset comes on as 12th man for SP Jones.

1405: Over 24 Decent return from Hoggard, who pitches the ball in the right place but struggles for too much movement despite overcast skies. Martyn remains watchful.

1402: Hoggard returns in place of SP Jones at the Nursery End.

1402: Over 23 Flintoff begins to extract some real movement from the pitch, zipping in a couple of fantastic off-cutters onto Martyn's pads. Koertzen has no interest in either despite the batsman not offering a shot.

1356: Over 22 Ponting and Martyn each continue to get settled, exploiting any let-up from Jones.

1352: Over 21 Flintoff beats Ponting for pace and movement with an in-swinger to begin with, rapping the pads via an inside edge. The loudness of England's appeal, on a ball which was also destined to miss leg stump by some distance, suggests some desperation and Koertzen's facial muscles remain immovable. He follows this up with a lively bouncer which clears GO Jones for byes and a perfect leg-cutter but the fourth ball of the over is an easy couple down to square leg and Ponting can therefore afford to prod negatively to the end of the over.

1348: Over 20 Jones pitches a good ball one middle and off to start but Ponting is on to it quickly and executes a beautiful off drive for three. Vaughan keeps three slips and two gullies for Martyn and almost gets a reward as Jones sends a couple fizzing past the outside edge. Jones' best over since the restart but the need for wickets grows ever more acute.

1343: Over 19 Flintoff continues to work hard at the other end, averaging over 87mph and bowling with great intelligence. He worked Hayden over superbly to claim the only wicket of the session to date and offers Martyn a variety of balls to test his defences but another chanceless over passes and the deficit stretches beyond 100.

1338: Over 18 Jones continues to struggle for a consistent off-stump line, allowing Ponting more easy runs off his legs. Martyn, who was out to the Welshman yesterday, looks less convincing on strike as Jones remains capable of finding extra pace and movement at a moment's notice. Yet Martyn too gets offered a leg-stump volley and duly picks off the easy three. Vaughan must be considering a change but the obvious alternative, Hoggard, has similarly struggled to string six good balls together.

1333: Over 17 A tidy but unremarkable over from Flintoff, two runs off it. Australia are pursuing a more measured strategy today, despite the removal of Hayden to a lazy shot.

1330: Over 16 Jones is evidently buoyed by Hayden's departure as he begins with yesterday's fire. He swings a beauty into Ponting who gets and inside edge onto the pads, thus negating the Jones' vociferous lbw appeal. The pressure is then relieved with a poor leg-side ball which Ponting works away, though Ian Bell is at square leg to stop the four. Jones responds with a snorter to Martyn, hitting the deck and moving it away past the outside edge. Another mostly good over somewhat ruined by the inconsistency so lacking in Australia's batting.

1326: Over 15 Flintoff resumes from the Pavilion End but finds Hayden unusually willing to leave the better ball early on. The Australians appear to have acknowledged that England's attack is too good to be bullied as New Zealand's have been and, moreover, there is no need to push the issue given the unusual match circumstances. Yet Hayden plays a poor shot to the short one and returns to the changing room, Damien Martyn entering the fray. The Australia number four leaves the remaining ball of the over alone.

1322: WICKET!
ML Hayden b Flintoff 34 Flintoff builds up the pressure early in the over with a couple of decent off-stump balls which the opener leaves alone. He then offers a straight bouncer and Hayden's eyes light up but he gets the attempted pull all wrong, chopping the ball down onto his stumps.

1320: Over 14 Jones feeds his first ball straight into the slot for Ponting, allowing the Australia captain a half-volley on the leg side. The batsman works it into the gap between long leg and mid-wicket for the easiest of boundaries. Jones bounces back with some better balls and extracts some decent swing, albeit between stumps and wicketkeeper, but the damage is done if England offer a four-ball an over.

1317: SP Jones continues from the Nursery End despite a poor showing at the end of the last session.

1316: Over 13 Ponting blocks the first couple before taking a single on the off side. Vaughan and Flintoff enter into a lengthy discussion on how to curb Hayden, whose ball striking became ominously clean in the run-up to lunch. They persevere with a 7-2 field including three slips. The trap is set and Hayden falls for it, top-edging a short one skywards but SP Jones cannot gallop around to fine leg from square while GO Jones has too much to make up from behind the stumps. A let-off for the Australian opener.

1311: Flintoff takes over from Harmison at the Pavilion End.

1310: Hayden and Ponting return to the crease intent on batting England out of the game. There was such limited movement even from Hoggard and Flintoff before lunch that the tourists have every chance of doing so provided they curb the obsession with dominating the bowling.

1232: End of session
Australia 2nd innings 47/1 lead England by 82 runs The session ends as it begins, with the tourists in total control, though there were fleeting moments of English resistance.

Kevin Pietersen thrilled the crowd for a few overs with some extravagant hitting to bring up a debut 50 but the real heroes were Simon Jones (20*) and Steve Harmison (11), whose tenth-wicket partnership kept home hopes of a revival alive.

Unfortunately England's pacemen proved more adept at batting than their supposed specialist subject, with none of Michael Vaughan's four seam bowling options testing the Australia openers.

Pietersen furthered his reputation with a brilliant run out of Justin Langer but it was otherwise an ominously quiet start to the visitors' innings, if Matthew Hayden and Ricky Ponting continue in the same measured style then it could be a long day in the field.

Australia will now be looking for a total in excess of 300, a lead which England would find all but insurmountable.

1233: Over 12 The introduction of Jones has backfired for Vaughan. Flintoff may not have boasted the menace of yesterday but his fellow change bowler has fared even worse, pitching too many ordinary balls down leg, an area in which Hayden scarcely needs assistance.

1229: Over 11 Harmison continues at the Pavilion End but remains unable to really put the Australians in any trouble.

1225: Over 10 Jones starts poorly, banging a ball in which doesn't bounce at all and Hayden is able to turn away on the leg side for an easy four. This is indicative of the fare to follow, with a couple of decent balls easy to resist among some weaker offerings.

1220: SP Jones replaces Flintoff at the Nursery End, presumably as a pre-cursor to Flintoff taking over from the tiring and ineffective Harmison.

1219: Over 9 Harmison starts off with a bouncer and rushes Hayden, usually such an impressive player of short bowling. He gets a bottom edge on the ball and chops it into the ground, obviously still remembering yesterday's rattle on the helmet. A couple of quieter ones follow on a good length but Harmison finishes with a second short one, Hayden again fending off to safety in less than convincing fashion.

1214: Over 8 Australia try to take two to Simon Jones down on the long-leg boundary as Hayden hooks and are forced to run it very close. The Welshman has a very strong arm and countryman and namesake Geraint whips off the bails. The decision is referred to the third umpire, who quickly gives not out as the batsman was back in his ground by inches. Hayden then hits back with a stylish off-drive down the ground and a single to finish.

1210: Over 7 Harmison gets to welcome Ponting, plaster on cheek, back to the middle but the Australia captain is quickly off the mark with a two. Ponting is soon back in trouble as Harmison pitches one just short of a length which never gets above shin height, the Tasmanian plays well over it and is delighted to see the ball just miss off stump. This does not bode well for England's fourth-innings chase, of course. Harmison follows up this close shave with the much-anticipated bouncer which Ponting evades with ease.

1206: Over 6 Flintoff's start is strong but unremarkable except for the run out. Ponting arrives in place of Langer at the non-striker's end and does not get to face a ball as Hayden plays out the over.

1201: WICKET!
JL Langer run out (Pietersen) 6 The bowling change brings a wicket, though perhaps more by luck than judgement. Langer remains watchful as Flintoff finds his stride but then loses his wicket on the third ball thanks to a brilliant piece of anticipation from Pietersen. The debutant reprises his lightening work from the second over to run out Langer as he runs towards the non-striker's end after calling for a quick single from the back foot. The opener dives and slides in hope but in vain as a throw from in front of square hits directly. It is referred to the third umpire who needs little time to confirm the dismissal.

1159: Andrew Flintoff replaces Hoggard as England seek a wicket. The Lancastrian would doubtless prefer to bowl from the Pavilion End, which has claimed 15 of the 20 wickets so far (and spinner Warne has taken two of the others) but Vaughan needs his two strike bowlers in tandem in the run-up to lunch.

1158: Over 5 Australia have noticeably changed their approach to Harmison, deciding against trying to dominate and instead allowing him to burn himself out. This strategy is being helped by the failure of both Harmison and Hoggard to bowl enough testing deliveries, and it has to be said that the batsmen look ominously comfortable at this stage.

1153: Over 4 Hoggard continues to look a weak link for England, allowing Hayden a cheap four through cover, though he continues to offer a number of decent deliveries each over. It was around this time yesterday that the Yorkshireman defied our criticism to take the first wicket of the summer, but Flintoff's claims grow ever stronger with the lead already almost 50.

1148: Over 3 Harmison bowls Hayden a couple of absolute beauties, fast and bouncing away swingers angled across the batsman and away to GO Jones. Already it is noticeable that the bounce is hugely variable. England's chances of chasing even 200 must be slim, leaving a lot of pressure on their strike bowlers this morning.

1143: Over 2 Hayden takes advantage of a little width to plunder two runs through cover and follows this up with a single. Langer pushes a ball to Pietersen's left hand and considers a quick one but thinks better of it. He sends back Hayden who slips and a quick throw from England's half-centurion has Hayden in trouble, though he makes his ground. Any psychological advantage to this is quickly erased as Langer bisects point and gully for four runs down the hill.

1138: Despite a below-par performance yesterday, Hoggard is retained as the second opening bowler.

1137: Over 1 Langer and Hayden open up for the Aussies, the Western Australian again taking strike to Harmison. One fast bouncer strikes his body but there is nothing approaching yesterday's reaction. Each opener claims a single.

1136: Harmison to again bowl the first over of the innings for England.

1125: England 1st Inns 155 all out. Australia to bat again with first-innings lead of 35. The state of the match is perhaps better than many Englishmen dared hope an hour ago, and certainly when Pietersen was out at 121 for eight. Yet Australia remain in total control - they need only to match England's 155 and the hosts will need the biggest total of the match batting last, an almost impossible challenge.

1137: Over 48.1 Lee wraps up the innings with his one and only ball of the morning from the Pavilion End, claiming innings figures of 3/47 on his return to the Test arena.

1125: WICKET!
SJ Harmison c Martyn b Lee 11 England are bowled out for 155 as Harmison tries to smash lee but scoops the ball up to Martyn at mid-off for a dolly. Jones is left 20*.

1125: Lee takes over from McGrath in front of the pavilion.

1124: Over 48 Harmison responds to the change magnificently, hitting the first ball back down the ground for four. He then plays a pre-meditated sweep from well outside off stump, dragging the ball through mid-wicket for a single. Jones adds another two but then plays and misses at a low one outside off. There is a huge appeal, turned down by Koertzen, and Jones takes another one off the last. This partnership is now worth 31 to England and a small fortune to your Ashes correspondent, who scooped the sweep on the hosts' first-innings total once they passed 153.

1120: Warne returns at the expense of Lee as Ricky Ponting seeks to deny England any lucky runs.

1117: Over 47 Another streaky four for Jones, this time a big swing outside off catches the outside edge and skips away down to the third-man boundary. McGrath is beginning to get frustrated and fires in balls at a fuller length but Jones blocks two before taking a single. Harmison is then beaten all ends up but gets an inside edge on the ball, chopping it between back foot and leg stump for a single.

1112: Over 46 The expected retribution for Harmison's day-one blitz never really materialises as Lee struggles to get going in a flurry of no-balls. The England number 10 fends one off his legs for a single to allow Jones the chance to stare fear in the eyes. The Welshman is less than convincing in fending two that cut back into the left-hander but fends both in the air and safe for, respectively, two and four. He does the same again to the next ball and they try three to Gillespie. The throw goes to the bowler's end and Jones is well short but Lee fumbles the ball and England live to fight another day. Back on strike, Harmison takes a wild swipe at the last and hits the ball over cover for four. This can't last long but the deficit is dwindling.

1108: Brett Lee replaces Warne at the Nursery End.

1107: Over 45 Jones takes the fight to McGrath, the left-hander driving one superb four through cover to reduce the deficit to 64. Unwilling to chance his arm too much, the rest of the over passes without comment but Harmison may wish he pushed a single when he sees the imminent change of bowling.

1102: Over 44 Simon Jones comes in at number 11 but Harmison is on strike after crossing with Pietersen's slog in mid air. He plays out the remaining deliveries from Warne, leaving the Welshman to face McGrath. Every run will be a bonus to England following the departure of Pietersen but their current total simply isn't enough, leaving the pacemen with plenty to do.

1059: WICKET!
KP Pietersen c Martyn b Warne 57 Pietersen begins in the same vein with a trademark swipe over mid-wicket for six but comes unstuck trying the same shot again. He fails to really get hold of the shot though it still requires a brilliant running catch from Damien Martyn, sprinting around on the leg-side boundary to scoop the ball up inches from the ground at full length.

1054: Over 43 With the accomplished blocker Hoggard back in the pavilion, Pietersen goes on the offensive. He clubs the first ball back down the ground for four off a good length. McGrath responds with a yorker and Pietersen drive back over the bowler's head and into the pavilion for six. The third ball is a little wider to negate the drive but this matters little to the debutant, who dispatches the ball through cover to bring up his half century. The fourth ball is angled down to third man for a single and Harmison sees out the over.

1049: Over 42 Harmison is, perhaps surprisingly, the choice at ten ahead of Jones. He almost pushes his first ball to silly point but survives the over, leaving Pietersen on strike.

1048: WICKET!
MJ Hoggard c Hayden b Warne Hoggard lives to regret keeping the strike from Pietersen as he makes an uncharacteristic attempt to hit the ball off the square. The Yorkshireman tries to guide one down to third man but succeeds only in shovelling straight to Hayden, who makes a good reaction catch at slip.

1045: Over 41 Pietersen blocks the first and pushes the second through mid-wicket for a single. This exposes Hoggard for an extended spell for the first time this morning but he responds in an assured manner, keeping out a yorker first up and then leaving outside off stump with authority. McGrath responds with a bouncer which beats the despairing dive of Gilchrist and England run a bye. Clearly the hosts will take every run on offer to them rather than worrying too much about strike rotation.

1042: Over 40 Warne is exacting an impressive amount of turn from the pitch and Gilchrist pouches a couple which pass perilously close to the bottom edge. But Pietersen is also able to push the ball around and clearly ready to take calculated risks in the absence of an accomplished partner.

1038: Over 39 The over starts in bizarre fashion with movement behind the bowler's arm. Pietersen steps back but McGrath is mid-action, the bowler tries to chuck it down leg but the batsman is retreating in that direction and his delivery looks like assault. McGrath trots down to apologise, picks Pietersen up and it's smiles all round. Is it only 24 hours since Steve Harmison bounced one into Justin Langer's elbow, holding up the game for treatment? Pietersen takes the first proper ball of the over to task, hammering it through the offside for four, and keeps the strike ticking over.

1034: Glenn McGrath takes over at the Pavilion End.

1033: Over 38 Warne roars an appeal after rapping his Hampshire colleague on the pads first ball of the day. But umpire Koertzen is admirably stoical, dismissing the appeal and telling the leg spinner to get off the middle of the wicket. The rest of the over passes without incident and Pietersen takes a single off the final ball of the over to keep the strike.

1029: Australia take the field with Matthew Hoggard the new batsman for England following Ashley Giles' dismissal last thing yesterday. Shane Warne is to continue from the Nursery End with Pietersen on strike.

1000: The expectant crowds begin to arrive at Lord's, though it is difficult to imagine how day two of the first Test can improve upon the drama of day one.

Perhaps if umpires Dar and Koertzen lead the players out breathing fire astride a mature bull rhinoceros as the Australians form a human tunnel from pavilion to wicket and Kevin Pietersen parachutes in crooning the Stones' Sympathy For The Devil we may get the kind of start to meet expectations.

It might be better for the Test, the series and England in particular if we enjoyed a somewhat more modest beginnings.

There is more time left than either team possibly need to win the game but it is difficult to see how the hosts can compete over the weekend if they fail to survive the first hour this morning.

The silver lining to this cloud is that England only trail by 98 runs.

Pietersen is capable of making that kind of score in 30 minutes and though he will not have the chance for such bravado here, if he survives until lunch then England will likely enjoy a first-innings lead.

A fascinating, but surely contrasting, day awaits.